Passing Strangers

The seeming sadness of the dog doesn't go unnoticed by the motor cyclist.

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La tristesse apparente du chien ne passe pas inaperçue pour le motocycliste.

PhotoMenton: Reality meets a photo

PhotoMenton: When reality meets a photograph!

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Quand la réalité rencontre une photo!

PhotoMenton et Woof-woof!

Some of you have kindly asked to see my stand at PhotoMenton this year, so here it is! Woof woof!

There are only two more days left to visit the exhibition - 10h to 19h non-stop at the Palais de l'Europe, Menton. 118 photographers, around 1100 photos. I will be there all day on both days - do come and say Hello!

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Certains d'entre vous ont gentiment demandé à voir mon stand à PhotoMenton cette année, alors le voilà ! Ouah Ouah! 

Il n'y a plus que deux jours pour visiter l'exposition - 10h à 19h non-stop, samedi/dimanche au Palais de l'Europe, Menton . 118 photographes, environ 1100 photos. Je serai là toute la journée ces deux jours - Venez  me dire Bonjour!

Ball Games

Much of Larvotto Beach in Monaco is closed for winter. But nothing will stop this lovely boxer asking me to throw the ball yet once more! His owners are closing up their shop for the winter.

This is one of the photos you'll find on my stand at PhotoMenton, Palais de l'Europe, Menton. 120 photographers, 1200 photos. Open until Sunday. Do come along and say Hello!

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Une grande partie de la plage du Larvotto à Monaco est fermée pour l'hiver. Mais rien ne peut empêcher de ce beau boxeur de me demander de lancer la balle une fois encore! Ses propriétaires ont fermé leur boutique pour l'hiver.

Ceci est l'une des photos que vous trouverez sur mon stand à PhotoMenton, Palais de l'Europe, Menton. 120 photographes, 1200 photos.  Ouvert jusqu'à dimanche. Venez et dites moi Bonjour!

The dog who thinks she's a cat!

Titine, the French bulldog, thinks she's a cat!  She and her owner Denis, who live in Gorbio, are at Sini's restaurant in Menton - a great place for a light lunch - perhaps a slice of pissaladiere and with a glass of wine, of course!

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Titine , ce bouledogue français, croit qu'elle est une chatte!  Elle et son propriétaire Denis, qui vivent à Gorbio, sont au  Sini, restaurant à Menton - un endroit idéal pour un déjeuner léger - par exemple  une tranche de pissaladière avec un verre de vin, bien sûr!

Offside in Airole!

Airole, Italy

Offside!

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Hors-jeu!

Injured Doggy

The pedestrian street in Menton: The fluffy dog in the lady's arms was injured in an accident but has been stitched up and is now on the mend. You can see another photo of her on Riviera Dogs.

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La rue piétonne à Menton: La chienne pelucheuse dans les bras de la dame a été blessée dans un accident, mais elle a été suturée et elle est maintenant en voie de guérison. Vous pouvez voir une autre photo d'elle sur Riviera Dogs.

Happy Halloween!

'Go away! I don't care if it is Halloween!'  Happy Halloween from 'Ours' (Bear) and me. x

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"Allez-vous en! Je me fiche que c'est Halloween!"  Happy Halloween de la part d'Ours' et moi. x

Fête de la Branda - Fashion Individuality

Fashion statement at the Fête de la Branda in Gorbio village.

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Look à la mode à la Fête de la Branda au village de Gorbio.

Pup (lic) transport

Who knew a 7 week old puppy could ride a bike?

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Qui savait qu'un un chiot âgé de 7 semaines pouvait faire du vélo?

Mika and puppy

Gorbio. This is Mika with one of his 10 adorable puppies.  They are a mix of American Bulldog, Ipso (that's Dad) and Mama, who is called Gandja, and is a mix of Boxer and Golden Retriever.

Not long now and they'll be looking for their forever homes.

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Gorbio. Voici Mika avec un de ses 10 adorables chiots. Ils sont issus d'un Bouledogue américain, Ipso, le 'papa,' et de Gandja, la 'maman', un mélange de Boxer et Golden Retriever.
 
Bientôt, ils seront à la recherche de leurs foyers définitifs.

Thirsty

  
Bouchette, the Bassett Hound,  followed me as I climbed the tiny streets of Gorbio village.  When she got to this pump, she stood with her head under the tap waiting for me to turn the handle and give her a drink.

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Bouchette, le Basset Hound, me suivait alors que je montais les ruelles du village de Gorbio. Quand elle est arrivée à cette pompe, elle a mis sa tête sous le bec de sortie d'eau en attendant de moi que je   tourne la poignée pour lui donner à boire.

Portofino Pooch

Yesterday, a group of us from Gorbio, went on a trip to Portofino.  Couldn't resist this boy and his dog outside his parents' gallery in the port. The Jack Russell terrier is called Marquis.

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Hier, avec un groupe de Gorbio, nous sommes allés en voyage à Portofino. Impossible de résister à ce garçon et son chien à l’extérieur de la galerie de ses parents sur le port. Le Jack Russell s'appelle Marquis.

Yorkie baby

Protecting baby...

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Protection de bébé ...

Apéritif

Apéritif in Place aux Herbes, Menton.

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Apéritif sur la place aux Herbes, Menton.

Romain, Lascar and Tina

This is Lascar, the new puppy belonging to Romain, the young hunter in Gorbio. He's a Bassett des Alpes (also called a Alpine Dachsbracke) The breed originates from Austria and is used to hunt wild boar and also to find wounded animals. He will be used as a hunting dog alongside Romain's other dog, Tina who you can see HERE. She's also in the third photo alongside Lascar.


Voici Lascar, le nouveau chiot appartenant à Romain, un jeune chasseur de Gorbio. C'est un Basset des Alpes (appelé aussi Alpine Daschsbracke). La race est originaire d'Autriche,  elle sert à chasser le sanglier et également à retrouver les animaux blessés. Il servira  de chien de chasse aux  côtés de l'autre chien de Romain, Tina que vous pouvez voir ICI. Elle se trouve également dans la troiseme photo à côté de Lascar.

Fog and Wet Dogs ...

Fog and light rain in Sainte Agnes yesterday evening and a very wet Landseer, the black and white version of the Newfoundland.

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Brouillard et pluie fine sur Sainte Agnès hier soir et Landseer tout mouillé, la version  noire et blanche du Terre-Neuve.

'Ours' - my new dog!

Meet my new dog! He's called Ours, which means Bear in French and he's a mix of a Grand Griffon Vendeen and probably some other large hunting dog. He's five and a half years old. I'll never forget Beau and Mia and Milou and Peggotty and Mistletoe and Scramble and all the wonderful dogs who have lived with me in the past but there is always enough love for a needy dog and goodness, there are enough poor dogs in shelters in this area alone.

The hunter who owned Ours wanted to shoot him - apparently he wasn't any good as a hunting dog! - but fortunately someone rescued him but couldn't keep him as he lived in a studio, so delivered him to the refuge where he has lived for the past two years. He arrived with injuries to a leg and terribly thin.

He's terrified of men in particular but meeting anyone new is a trauma for him. He's never lived in a house so all the sounds of a house scare him and outside sounds he doesn't know, like cars on the autoroute worry him greatly.

Having said all that he is a total love and in only 48 hours has found the places in the house where he feels safe: at my feet when I'm at the computer and by my bed!

I found his photo on the website of the SDA of Nice which is in Tourettes-Levens. Most impressive refuge, spotlessly clean and all the dogs well cared for and lovely people working there who cried when Ours left with me. 

Isn't he gorgeous!

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Voici mon nouveau chien! Il s'appelle Ours, c'est un mélange de Grand Griffon Vendéen et probablement d'un autre grand chien de chasse. Il a cinq ans et demi. Je n'oublierai jamais Beau, Mia, Milou, Peggotty,  Mistletoe et Scramble et tous les merveilleux chiens qui ont vécu avec moi dans le passé,  mais il y a toujours assez d'amour pour un chien en manque d'un foyer et malheureusement il y en a beaucoup dans des abris de la région PACA.

Le chasseur à qui il appartenait a voulu le tuer - apparemment il n'était pas assez bon comme chien de chasse! - et heureusement quelqu'un l'a sauvé.  Mais ne pouvant  pas le garder dans le studio où il  vivait, cette personne l'a laissé  au refuge où il a vécu les deux dernières années. Il y est arrivé avec des blessures à une jambe et très maigre.

Il est terrifié par les hommes en particulier et  la rencontre avec quelqu'un de nouveau est un trauma pour lui. Il n'a jamais vécu dans une maison donc tous les sons de celle-ci l'effrayent ainsi que ceux de l'extérieur qu'il ne connaît pas, tels les voitures sur l'autoroute qui l'inquiètent grandement.

Ceci dit, c' est un amour et en seulement 48 heures,  il a trouvé les endroits dans la maison où il se sent en sûreté: à mes pieds quand je suis à l'ordinateur et à côté de mon lit!

J'ai trouvé sa photo sur le site Web de la SDA de Nice, qui se trouve à Tourettes-Levens. Un refuge  impressionnant, extrêmement propre où tous les chiens sont bien soignés par les gens charmants qui y travaillent et qui ont pleuré quand Ours est parti avec moi.

N'est pas il magnifique! 

Port de Garavan, Menton

'Don't jump in!'

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''Ne sautez pas dedans!'

Mia's last day

Some of you have met Mia, a Bassett Ariegois - or seen this photo of her in exhibitions.  Sadly, today she was put to sleep.

It's been a bad few weeks lately.  First, my oldest dog, Beau - a black and tan Bruno du Jura, had to be put to sleep. It was his time. Indeed the deed was done not a day too early or too late and I was okay about it. He'd had a good life here and lived far longer than he would have in the particular refuge he was in.

But Mia, who had a dreadful early life (as did Beau) didn't deserve to have been so sick for the last two or three weeks of her life. She'd had an ear infection for six months, nothing would clear it up and the skin deep within her ear got so thin it started bleeding.  At this time I changed vets, not because I didn't have the best faith in my old vet but because Mia was so car sick every time I drove a distance to her and she understood and agreed. The new vet gave me product for her ears that went into her blood stream and caused massive inbalance and semi-paralysis -  and ever since then we've been trying to get her right. And I changed vets again, of course.

Last night she became totally paralyzed and so this morning she went to the vet on her last journey.

When I got Mia around 7 years ago she'd been living in a filthy 2 metre square run with another dog, Mistral. She'd obviously had several litters of puppies and was thin as a stick and with bleeding skin. They'd been living on top of years of excrement and having food thrown over the fence. The owner died and the son wanted to shoot them.  So, they came to me. Mistral lived only 3 months because she had cancer, but Mia put on weight and was in excellent health, except mentally and emotionally. All her years with me she was terrified of any visitor, especially men.

Mia was a wonderful dog, so kind, so sensitive. I miss her like crazy. 

So, now, this house is very empty. I have this photo of Mia hanging on my wall. And another of Beau hangs elsewhere. I'll show you Beau's photo another time.

(the second photo shows Mia with her friend Maggie, in the background).